Tyre monitor

Abstract

A tire monitor 11 includes a sensor device 12 arranged to detect an operating parameter of a tire and a protective housing 14 for the device, the device being retained on a ring 15 having spaced end portions 16 a, 16 b , the ring being resiliently radially biased. The provision of a retaining ring facilitates installation of the tire monitor within a tire assembly, so that the sensor device can directly monitor the operating parameter of the tire. The protective housing protects the sensor device from impact, vibration and temperature extremes.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A tire monitor comprising:
 a sensor device arranged to detect an operating parameter of a tire, 
 a protective housing configured to house the sensor device, and 
 a resiliently radially biased ring attached to the protective housing and sensor device, the ring being configured to be mounted within a tire such that the ring is resiliently radially biased adjacent an inner circumferential surface of the tire or an outer circumferential surface of a rim supporting the tire, 
 wherein the ring includes spaced end portions separated by a gap aligned with a circumference of the ring, wherein the gap is present while the ring is mounted within the tire. 
 
     
     
       2. The tire monitor as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the protective housing comprises an elastic material that is resiliently flexible. 
     
     
       3. The tire monitor as claimed in  claim 2 , wherein the elastic material comprises a polymer selected from the group consisting of: a silicone rubber, a natural rubber, a polyurethane, a neoprene rubber, a fluoropolymer elastomer, a nitrile rubber, a butyl rubber, a synthetic rubber, a thermoplastic elastomer, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
       4. The tire monitor as claimed in  claim 1 , in which the sensor device comprises a pressure sensor configured to measure an internal pressure of the tire. 
     
     
       5. The tire monitor as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising a wireless communication interface arranged to communicate with a device external to the sensor device. 
     
     
       6. The tire monitor as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising a temperature sensor arranged to measure a temperature within the tire. 
     
     
       7. The tire monitor as claimed in  claim 4 , further comprising a memory unit configured to store data and a processor arranged to record in the memory unit data from the sensor device. 
     
     
       8. The tire monitor as claimed in  claim 7 , further comprising a time source arranged such that the data recorded in the memory unit includes an indication of a time of a reading from the sensor device. 
     
     
       9. The tire monitor as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a power supply for the sensor device. 
     
     
       10. The tire monitor as claimed in  claim 9 , in which the power supply is arranged on the ring at a location spaced from the sensor device. 
     
     
       11. The tire monitor as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising a counterweight on the ring. 
     
     
       12. The tire monitor as claimed in  claim 1 , further comprising at least one resiliently flexible damper on the ring. 
     
     
       13. The tire monitor as claimed in  claim 12 , in which the damper is provided at each of the end portions of the ring. 
     
     
       14. A wheel assembly including a tire monitor as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
       15. A kit of parts comprising:
 a tire monitor as claimed in  claim 1 , and 
 a reader external to the tire monitor, wherein the sensor device is configured to communicate with the reader. 
 
     
     
       16. A kit of parts as claimed in  claim 15 , including multiple ones of the tire monitor. 
     
     
       17. An aircraft including a wheel assembly and a tire monitor as claimed in  claim 1 . 
     
     
       18. An aircraft including:
 a plurality of wheel assemblies, and 
 a plurality of tire monitors as claimed in  claim 1 , 
 wherein each of the tire monitors is associated with a different respective wheel assembly. 
 
     
     
       19. A method of installing a tire monitor including a sensor device arranged to detect an operating parameter of a tire and a protective housing for the device, wherein the sensor device is retained on a ring having spaced end portions and the ring is resiliently radially biased, the method comprising:
 moving the end portions of the ring against the bias of the ring, 
 introducing the monitor into an interior of a tire, 
 releasing the end portions, and 
 by the releasing of the end portions causing the ring either to expand circumferentially in the tire to be resiliently biased against an inner circumferential surface of the tire or to contract circumferentially to be biased against an outer circumferential surface of a rim supporting the tire, 
 wherein the end portions of the ring are separated by a gap after the end portions are released and the ring is resiliently biased against the inner circumferential surface of the tire or biased against the outer circumferential surface of the rim.